FULL TIME FROM OAKWELL - Match Report

FULL TIME FROM OAKWELL
Posted on: Tue 17 Mar 2009

BARNSLEY 3 (Campbell-Ryce 24, Hills OG 52, Mifsud 73)
CRYSTAL PALACE 1 (Kuqi 8)

JUST as the storm clouds were gathering around Oakwell and the doubters sharpening their knives, the Reds found their Championship feet to shoot down the Eagles and take three vital points.

Simon Davey promised changes following the Blackpool debacle and in came Jon Macken, Anderson de Silva with the Reds boosted by Brazilian's return and their skipper's comeback from suspension. Anderson received a poignant standing ovation from the Oakwell faithful prior to kick off after missing the last three matches following the sudden death of his mother. Out of the side went Dennis Souza, Daniel Bogdanovic and Mounir El Haimour.
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Palace, managed by ex-Oakwell winger Neil Warnock, had fellow former Red John Oster amongst their substitutes.

Barnsley were almost cold within two minutes after Jamal Campbell-Ryce had tripped Neil Danns 30 yards from goal. Antony Stokes' free kick was full of invention as he swung the ball goalward but Heinz Muller quickly got over to palm his effort over the bar.

The Reds were on top when they fell behind to a real sucker punch on eight minutes. There seemed to be no danger when Stokes' pass found Foster in the area but the Barnsley skipper slipped on the turf and missed the ball. It eventually came through to Shefki Kuqi and the big striker slammed an unstoppable shot past Muller.

Macken almost levelled things within two minutes as he rose highest to meet Adam Hammill's cross but was denied firstly by Julian Speroni but then by the linesman's flag.

Victor Moses then had the Reds at sixes and sevens as he raced in on the Barnsley defence on 19 minutes before seeing his low shot blocked away by the imposing figure of Darren Moore.

Although Michael Mifsud didn't get a free kick at one end after falling over Clint Hill's tackle on 20 minutes, referee Graham Salisbury was quick to blow his whistle seconds later when Moses hit the deck under the lightest of touches from Hugo Colace. It was almost worse for the Reds when Lee Hills' free kick found Kuqi at the back post but Muller was down quickly to make a fine stop.

Mifsud finally had a sniff on 23 minutes when he turned well onto Kozluk's pass before shooting straight at Speroni from 18 yards.

Barnsley made their good spell count just seconds later when Macken's pass put Campbell-Ryce in behind the Palace defence and the little winger raced 40-yards with the ball before easily beating Speroni.

The goal settled Barnsley and even Kozluk was in on the act in the final third as the full back let fly on 28 minutes after seeing his long throw only half cleared. His shot brushed the sidenetting.

Palace looked certain to snatch the lead again on 28 minutes as Danns' pass put Kuqi through on goal but the striker looked as though he was treading water as a combination of Kozluk and Moore snuffed out the chance. Kozluk tried his luck again on 32 minutes after finding a yard but this time his effort flew high and wide of the mark.

Barnsley really should have been in front on 42 minutes when Hammill's corner dropped perfectly for Anderson to attack but the Brazilian only managed to head straight at Speroni from 12 yards.

At the other end Muller had to be at his very best to turn away Stokes' piledriver on 44 minutes after the frontman had managed to steal a yard on Hassell. Kuqi then picked up a booking seconds later for handball.

Hammill again put a goal on a plate for Anderson deep in stoppage time as his corner gave the midfielder another free header 12 yards out but again the Brazilian could only find Speroni.

The Reds were right on the front foot again at the start of the second half with Macken putting Mifsud through on 48 minutes but the little striker could not find a finish after drifting behind John Ertl and Clint Hill. Anderson then managed to break through the Palace defence a minute later but again found Speroni blocking his path to an emotional Oakwell goal.

Palace threatened on 51 minutes as sub John Ertl managed to get his head to Shaun Derry's free kick but his effort was never really going to trouble Muller and bounced wide.

Barnsley were well on top and again made the most of it as Kozluk burst into the area on 53 minutes before fizzing the ball across the face of goal to give Hammill a tap in only for Hills to turn it into an empty net.

Moore really knew he had been in a game on 62 minutes as he did well to recover and nod the ball back to Muller only to be clattered by a combination of the big German and onrushing Stokes. Thankfully the imposing defender was able to continue.

Barnsley almost pressed the self destruct button on 66 minutes when Speroni's long ball was allowed to go all the way through to Muller only for the Reds' keeper to get in a terrible mess with Hassell and Moses but Moore was thankfully in the right place to clear.

Hassell saved the Reds again on 71 minutes as he somehow managed to get between Kuqi's goalbound header and the ball. It was another magnificent goal-saving clearance by the Barnsley full back.

The game was over just two minutes later when again Macken took everything the Palace defence could throw at him to nod the ball through to Mifsud, who raced clear and smacked a shot past Speroni.

Mifsud was denied a second goal on 81 minutes by a very suspect offside decision as he raced onto Campbell-Ryce's pass. Kozluk was then shown a yellow card a minute later for an over enthusiastic lunge on Derry.

Barnsley had the game won but they still had to be switched on at the back and Muller was alert enough to palm away James Comley's drive in stoppage time.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Hassell, Moore, Foster, Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Anderson, Hammill (Devaney 79), Mifsud (El Haimour 89), Macken (Bogdanovic 75).
Subs: Steele, Van Homoet.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni, Hill, Derry, Fonte (Ertl 45), Carle (Comley 78), Moses, Hills, Danns (Oster 67), Kuqi, Stokes, Clyne.
Subs: Ifil, Fonte.

REFEREE: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Bob Roberts (Lancashire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Keith Lawson (Lincolnshire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: William Smallwood (Cheshire)